


A Case Study In Symbiotic Relationships

by marimojar



Category: One Piece
Genre: (very minimal plot), Aftercare, Aphrodisiacs, Beach Sex, Dirty Talk, Dubious Consent, Fluff and Smut, Getting Together, M/M, Oviposition, Porn With Plot, Pre-Timeskip, Sanji is a Brat, Shameless Smut, Tentacles, just barely beta read, monster birth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:13:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28135233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marimojar/pseuds/marimojar
Summary: There are a wide variety of bizarre creatures on the Grand Line. On an otherwise unremarkable island, Sanji happens to encounter one in particular.
Relationships: Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji, Sanji/Tentacles
Comments: 8
Kudos: 119





	A Case Study In Symbiotic Relationships

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by that one zosan tentacle doujin. Initially, this fic wasn’t going to even contain any zosan but I just said fuck it, why not.  
> Also, rest assured, this fic comes with all the tentacle tropes, including breeding, oviposition, aphrodisiacs, those weird ass tentacle monsters in particular that like… swallow their victims up, and “oh my god i’m giving birth to weird monster babies”. Tentacles have been my biggest kink since I first knew what kinks were, so best believe I’m going all out with this one. If any of this stuff isn't really your cup of tea, then you’ve been warned, I suppose. ^^;

Throughout their incredibly tumultuous journey across the Grand Line, what sparse times of tranquility the crew found themselves in were made sure to be savored. Be it a day of smooth, undisturbed sailing, or the days-long festivities that occurred after defeating yet another enemy; they were sure to make the most of these moments while they still lasted.

So when they stumbled upon a small, uncharted island like the one they were currently docked at, they were sure to seize the rare opportunity to unwind and gather supplies. Of course, there was no guarantee of their complete safety anywhere on these treacherous seas, and there never would be… but just being able to let their collective guards down for a while was more than enough. While some of the more rowdy crewmates had already run off to go explore the scenery, some of those more collected were spending their time wisely. 

Sanji in particular was taking the opportunity to forage for whatever edible things could be found on the island-- a task that was proving to be oddly difficult. Though the jungle-like landscape was packed with dense vegetation, none of it was exactly palatable: from thorny vines that bore stench ridden flowers, to several varieties of berries he recognized as poisonous-- he hoped and prayed that the crewmates less familiar with plants hadn’t already sampled some of those. 

He barely found any type of animal, either. The most he’d been able to gather were some small birds and scrawny rodents, still uncertain if they were even edible. No doubt his meager gatherings would make for a particularly disappointed captain... perhaps he’d be better off looking elsewhere. If inland provided slim pickings, maybe he’d have better luck foraging for aquatic life.

After dropping off his meager cargo aboard the ship (along with a quick change of clothes), he began his search across the waters of the island’s shore. At first, he felt somewhat optimistic, fingers eagerly combing through the sand, taking in the tropical warmth of the water and the picturesque scenery seen through goggles. That optimism soon shifted to discontent, after countless descents and a thorough scouring of the ocean floor only turned up shells long empty and messy clumps of seaweed. He couldn’t help but feel a bit perplexed; uninhabited islands like these were normally a paradise for flora and fauna alike. Normally, he’d have found all sorts of little critters by now. But whatever life would reasonably be found on this island just _wasn’t_ there. Something was… off, to say at the least.

As he ascended back to the ocean’s surface, head popping up for a breath of much needed fresh air, he saw a massive… _something,_ bobbing around in the water mere inches away from him. He still wasn’t sure exactly what it was-- or if his eyes were merely playing tricks on him, since whatever it was bore the same bright blue color as the water around it. Seemingly taking notice of Sanji’s presence, it rose its head up above the water’s surface, “looking” right at him with nonexistent eyes. It seemed like some sort of oversized sea slug… maybe a sea cucumber? not that it even mattered _,_ because all Sanji cared about was how this rather aloof creature would taste.

He waded his way back to shore, movements careful as to not startle the monster away. Sure enough, it stayed in its place, floating entirely undisturbed. Maybe it didn’t even see him… in that case, this would be rather easy. Once Sanji’s feet hit sand, he stood himself on the beach, taking a running start towards the beast. Just as he was sending a flying kick to its head, something ensnared his legs, catching him entirely off guard and slamming his body against the ocean’s surface. 

Sanji gasped, lungs filling with saltwater and goggles flying off his face once his back hit the sand beneath. Through vision blurred by stinging waters, he saw several tentacle-like appendages wrapped around his ankles. So this was its defense mechanism… hindsight truly was 20/20, he _really_ should’ve anticipated something like this. But he’d freed himself with ease from similar foes, and was certain he could do the same here. He yanked and tugged his legs with all his might, only for the monster to constrict around him tighter, pulling back with a surprising amount of strength. They twisted and pulled, twisted and pulled, intertwined in a tug of war between man and beast-- a tug of war that Sanji was losing, as he was struggling to breathe and his body was exhausting itself with each yank.

In a last ditch effort, he dug his hands into the sand, trying to crawl away from the monster’s grasp-- but more of those slimy limbs formed on the beast’s body, wrapping themselves tightly around his limp frame and claiming victory over their prize. Fully entrapped, Sanji was lifted above the water’s surface, desperately gasping for air in between coughing fits. As he hacked up salt water, teary eyes caught a quick glance of an odd, dark pink flesh… then widened in horror as he realised what exactly he was looking at. The monster was opening its mouth, preparing to swallow him whole. 

He thrashed violently in the tentacles’ grasp, fingernails clawing at their squishy flesh, limbs twisting and turning wildly. He needed to get away from this creature, and fast. Maybe if he raised a commotion, one of the other crewmates would notice and help free him? Bracing himself, he let out a loud scream-- but it was snuffed out the minute it left his dry throat, by a rogue tentacle firmly clutching his neck. With his breathing constricted, his attempts to free himself were getting weaker and weaker and his mind filled with immense desperation. The harder he fought, the more his strength was sapped away. Soon enough he’d completely exhausted himself, unable to fight back as the tentacles lowered his body, and walls of damp flesh closed in on him.

* * *

As if a switch had been flipped, Sanji found himself in entirely new territory. Bright daylight had been replaced with pitch black, the salty air of the sea replaced with a stuffy, sweet miasma. His constraints had been released, his body instead squeezed tightly by slick, fleshy stomach lining. Everything about this scenery was unfamiliar, unsettling, and screamed only one word: danger.

Realizing the situation he was in, he was sure to throw a screaming, thrashing fit. He kicked at the walls around him desperately, flailing his body around, even throwing punches with hands seldom used. No matter what means of attack he went for, the monster wouldn’t even flinch. Not surprising, since with how tightly the beast was swallowing him, it was difficult to get a good hit in. As he continued to struggle in vain, his thoughts were turning dismal. Was this how he was going to die? He’d survived countless battles on the Grand Line, against some of the most formidable foes, only to be eaten by some oversized slug-cucumber-thing on an entirely unimpressive island?

Before he could truly linger on that thought, the creature speeded off into the sea at an incredible pace, Sanji’s mind sent barrelling into vertigo. Great, so now not only was this thing trying to digest him, but he was gonna feel motion sick throughout all of it. Not only that, but the thick, sickly air around him was making it rather hard to breathe. Most likely its goal was to suffocate him first, then digest him whole-- no doubt a miserable way to die. Wanting to prolong the inevitable, he shallowed his breaths, stopping his thrashing to conserve energy. If this damn slug wanted to fight against his senses, he was going to fight right back. He’d wait until the perfect moment, then do his best to get a good attack in and get the hell out. 

All of a sudden, the monster stopped moving. Thinking this was his opportunity, Sanji readied himself… only to feel it swim upwards and remain stationary. Then, it opened its mouth, just enough to let minimal air and light filter in. As it did so, the walls closed around him loosened themselves, and his body slid down to the very bottom of the monster’s stomach. The walls of flesh constricted and contracted rhythmically, filtering out the stench ridden musk and filtering in the fresh sea air. Sanji couldn’t help but feel a bit perplexed by this-- did creatures like these normally have to breathe? That didn’t really matter, though; this was his chance out and he had to seize it. 

Digging his hands and heels into the stomach lining beneath him, he climbed his way up to the monster’s mouth, hands straining to reach up towards the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel. Just as his fingers were prying open its maw, two pink tendrils formed inside the beast, Sanji taking no notice of them until they were ensnared around his wrists. They twisted his body around, then pinned him down firmly, his back now against the stomach wall beneath him.

“Get _off_ me, damn it!” he shouted, thrashing about with annoyance. No doubt his actions were futile, as his pleas fell on nonexistent ears and the monster’s grip on him was unfaltering. Still, this foe had made one fatal mistake: it left his legs free. Seeing his opportunity, he readied a strong kick-- but two more tendrils formed to snare both of his ankles into place, pinning his legs down onto squishy flesh. 

He shouted in frustration, a stream of curses directed at the creature spewing from his lips. His outburst was cut off, as a cluster forming above his head caught his eye. Several tentacles took form from it, these ones more thin and slender than the others. They wriggled their way to his face, forcing themselves into his mouth. Maybe the monster just wanted him quiet… but then they started to pry his lips apart, and a much thicker tentacle took form in the center of the cluster.

Sanji’s eyes widened with anxiety as it drew closer, unsure of what was to come but fearing the worst. He tossed and turned his head around, trying to eject the smaller tendrils off him, only for them to hook in deeper. He winced at the slight pain, and the larger tentacle took this opportunity to slip its way into his mouth. He swore he could taste something oddly sweet on its tip, only for it to dive into his throat, pumping a viscous liquid down his esophagus. Sanji gagged at the feeling, trying to sputter the fluid back up, throat feeling like it was drowning, eyes feeling like they were going to pop. 

The tentacles finally withdrew themselves, Sanji still coughing up the sickeningly sweet liquid. If it were some kind of poison, he needed to get as much of it out of his system as possible-- he’d already swallowed a substantial amount by pure accident, but held onto the hope that it wasn’t enough to kill him. But as whatever toxins already in his system took effect, he felt not pain, but tranquility. His body felt oddly warm, tingly even, in a way he couldn’t quite find the words for. His muscles went comfortably limp, his mind felt warm and fuzzy, he even felt butterflies in his stomach. He still held onto that sense of danger, but it was slipping away from his grasp, no matter how hard he tried to reel it back in. Something in him didn’t _want_ to fight back.

Just barely catching his attention, he felt the membraned walls beneath him begin to tremble, dozens more of those slender tentacles budding from the surface. Sanji found himself oddly entranced by the sight, with the way they danced and writhed, growing taller and taller, creeping towards his bare skin. They trailed across his body, in a way that was oddly pleasant, that made that warm tingly feeling even more intense… Once they started tugging and ripping at the fabric of his swim trunks, it was then he realized that _eating_ him wasn’t the creature’s plan. 

He vaguely recalled hearing of parasitic species like this on the Grand Line, that reproduced by implanting naive voyagers with their offspring. By the way this… _thing_ was groping and caressing him, its intentions were made rather apparent. Now that he was aware of what exactly this monster was planning on doing to him, those fears of death were put aside. Since it didn’t want to hurt him (for the time being, at least), it would probably be best to just deal with the blow to his pride and let it do what it wanted. Better than to risk getting hurt by fighting back… something he felt exhausted just thinking about.

Sighing in resignation, he submitted himself to the beast, letting his body grow lax as its tentacles worked over him. He looked down curiously at the way they writhed against his skin, coaxing goosebumps from the surface, coating every inch of his body with slick. They curled and coiled around his torso, tracing across his abdomen and in between his chest. They were eager to discover those sensitive spots that would send shivers down his spine, like the insides of his thighs, or underneath his jaw, or the sides of his waist. 

Suffice to say, this odd organism was skilled at what it did. Its gentle fondling of his body, along with the calm rocking of waves around them made for an oddly pleasant experience. No doubt the creature had an innate instinct: that it was far better to bring pleasure to its “partners”, rather than just use them against their will. Maybe Sanji could enjoy this after all, no matter how bizarre both the sight and feeling was. Perhaps it was because his mind was addled by that odd aphrodisiac, or it was because of a morbid curiosity, but what objections would rationally be there were nonexistent. No matter how utterly supernatural this experience was, it still felt... good. _Really_ good.

When his eyes caught sight of a familiar tentacle looming over his head, his lips parted willingly, letting it slip back into his mouth. It wrapped itself around his tongue, twirling around in his mouth as if it were stealing a rather sloppy kiss. Sanji leaned into its touch, moans reverberating in his throat whenever the tendrils around him brushed over a particularly good spot. They hadn’t even touched his growing erection, and yet he already felt on the verge of climax. Course, he’d had plenty of good partners before, that had brought him damn close with merely foreplay. But never like _this,_ where every inch of his body was felt up constantly… he wondered if he’d ever feel anything like this again.

His submissive behavior was rewarded with more of that sweet liquid, though this time Sanji was far more eager to swallow it up. The more this nectar of sorts poured into his mouth, the warmer his entire body felt, until he was engulfed entirely with white hot flames of need. The tentacle again retracted itself from his throat, curling around his neck, the tapered tip of it still playing loosely with his mouth. It trailed lazily along his lips, slipping in to stroke his tongue whenever he let out a needy gasp or whine. Sanji could barely think straight, unsure if he should focus on the tentacles groping his body or the one fondling his mouth. The sheer overstimulation of his senses felt like true heaven, a heaven he hadn’t experienced, hadn’t realized he was missing out on until now.

All of a sudden, the smaller tendrils that had been lavishing his body stilled themselves, shrinking back into the membrane beneath him. He whined in disappointment at their absence, only for his breath to hitch in shock once the restraints still wrapped around his ankles spread his legs open further. Sanji watched in awe as a rather large, girthy appendage emerged from the very bottom of the beast’s stomach, approaching him hungrily. It looked completely different from its counterparts: bright blue like the slug’s exterior, with a blunt tip and little pink bumps studding the skin. His eyes were peeled open with anxiety as it drew closer, like some sort of archaic monster. _Is that gonna…?_ He thought. _No, it couldn’t. There’s no way it would fit._

Taking him off guard, the tentacle approached his throbbing cock. The stubby tip opened itself up to reveal a hollow cavity inside the appendage, and that was his only warning before it engulfed his shaft in one swift move. Sanji spit out the tendril still in his mouth to cry in sheer ecstasy, legs twitching desperately underneath its touch. His body squirmed desperately, hips shallowly bucking up into the tentacle wrapped around his length. 

It suctioned itself around him before bobbing up and down, Sanji letting out moan after depraved moan as he was essentially blown off by this creature. A heavy dose of aphrodisiac riddling his system, he was forced to take in every stimuli at once. The sounds echoing in the peculiar organic chamber were absolutely sinful: the constant wet schlicking sound of the slimy hole milking his cock, along with the completely overpowered moans coming from his own mouth. His sense of touch was far oversensitized as well, to the point where he could feel every ridge and bump on the walls enveloping him. It was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before, making him unsure if he’d even be _able_ to go back to normal sex after this. 

A few more strokes sent him over the edge, an earth shattering wail escaping his throat as he pumped the creature full of his seed. His entire body twitched agonizingly before going completely limp, feeling like he could pass out then and there. Satisfied that its prey had loosened up a little, that oddly colored tentacle released itself from his softening erection with a lewd squelching noise, cum still dripping from its maw. Several more thick tendrils emerged from the wall of flesh beneath him, Sanji looking up with eager anticipation as they took form one by one. He let out a shocked yelp as they seized his entire body, wrapping him in tight, fleshy bindings and pressing him firmly against the metaphorical wall. Now his entire body was essentially mummified, save for his head and nether regions.

He wailed out in protest at this uncomfortable position, pathetically thrashing against his restraints. Most likely, this monster knew this process of impregnating him would make him squirm, and would not even grant him the ability to do so. In an attempt to soothe him, the tentacle that administered aphrodisiac slipped back into his mouth, Sanji desperately slurping up its fluids as if sucking on a motherly teat. It was evident that any time he protested, this beast would be sure to pump more of that overpowering liquid into his mouth, rendering his squirming and squealing entirely useless. Truth be told, he didn’t _want_ to resist anyway. This all felt so good to him, better than he’d like to admit. A few more pumps of that odd concoction and he was back to his “normal” self again, needy and willing, wanting nothing more but for this monster to breed with him. 

The creature was sure to make an effort to prep him, rather than just ramming into him at full force. A slim, slick tendril emerged, prodding itself curiously against his puckered hole before slipping inside with minimal effort. Sanji whimpered in need, feeling it wriggle and writhe in an effort to loosen him up. It pressed up against his walls, forcing them open before it suddenly swelled up in size, making Sanji’s eyes roll back in his head as he was stretched out. He could feel it thrusting into him shallowly, the slim tip rubbing up eagerly against his most sensitive spot and making him feel dizzy. 

With each thrust, he moaned in sheer bliss around the tentacle in his mouth, practically making out with it as if to thank this bizarre monster for making him feel so good. It curled around his tongue in response, coating the surface with more of that sweet fluid. A needy cry escaped his throat as the tentacle inside him swelled even more, stretching him out completely, pumping him full of slick. 

Seemingly satisfied, it pulled itself out, the blue colored tentacle taking its place to prod against his loosened entrance. He looked down in anxiety at this sight, still unable to believe it would fit. As if sensing his distress, that all too familiar tentacle slid down his throat again, drowning out his stress with aphrodisiac he could barely swallow down. He could feel his stomach being flooded with the fluid, even hearing it gurgle and slosh around. His vision was blurred with desire, all his senses overwhelmed to even the slightest stimulation. Just the feeling of the tentacles wrapped around his skin was enough to make him feel sheer euphoria, he couldn’t even imagine what it would feel like when--

Not wasting any more time, the tip of the rather gargantuan tentacle pushed its way into him. Sanji let out a choked cry, blacking out from the deluge of sheer ecstasy, coming untouched and spurting thick cum onto the bindings around his torso. He couldn’t think a single coherent thought even if he tried, every inch of him inundated by sheer lust. Shit, if he’d managed to cum just from the _tip,_ how would he even handle actually being fucked by this thing? 

As if to answer that very question, the tentacle shoved itself deeper into him, making him absolutely _scream_ in sheer bliss. He could feel it twisting around inside of him, those pink nubs on the surface rubbing against every crevice and making him see stars. With every squirm, he could hear absolutely filthy schlopping sounds and feel the excess slick pouring out from inside him. Moans of pure, unadulterated _need_ poured from his mouth in a steady flow, mind and body shutting down entirely, focused solely on each twist and turn and wriggle. 

No longer satisfied with just toying with its prey, the tendril drew itself back, slipping itself out to the tip only to push back in all at once. Sanji let out a shriek, and soon he was being bounced up and down the tentacle’s length like a windup toy. He squealed desperately with each thrust, thankful for the tentacle in his mouth that suppressed how truly, disgustingly desperate he sounded. 

It was unlike any sexual encounter he’d previously had. Each time this behemoth of a tentacle slid itself out, he felt like his soul itself was being taken along with it, only for it to come crashing back to him when it thrusted back in again. It was as if his very life was being taken then revived, over and over again, each time feeling more orgasmic than the last. It was an experience truly visceral, beyond reasonable comprehension, a pleasure that could only be brought by that most bizarre of creatures, that couldn’t be replicated through even the most taboo fantasies. In this moment, he knew nothing but this beast, this primal pleasure, this desperate need to be bred. 

For the third time that night, his orgasm came crashing down like the ocean waves surrounding them. He let out a truly desperate cry, load after load of his seed spattering across his chest and even onto his face. His eyes fluttered themselves shut, physically unable to stay open any longer, his dizzy head tilted sideways onto a fleshy cushion. He found himself suckling desperately on that rather maternal tentacle, using it as if it were a pacifier, a purely instinctual reaction when every sense of his had been so inundated. The monster was more than willing to oblige to this sentiment, two of the tendrils that had been wrapped around his chest now cradling his head.

Not wanting to overstimulate him further, the tentacle inside him had long stopped its thrusts… at least, that’s what Sanji assumed was the reason. Then it started to pulse inside him, contracting itself over and over again. Curiously, he lifted his head up, struggling to open his eyes. Through the still minimal sunlight filtering in, he could see the tentacle’s base was bulging with what looked to be hundreds of little round balls inside-- and with a squelching sound, a small, squishy object was inserted into him, followed by a quick spurt of slick. 

_Eggs,_ he assumed correctly. That was the only coherent thought he could form, before his body once again fell limp and was comforted by those motherly tendrils. The creature laid another egg inside him, then one more, then they were popping in one by one in a steady flow. With each one inserted in him, he felt an odd sense of exhilaration, babbling incoherently, the only legible words he formed being “breed me” and “more” and “please”. The more eggs inserted into him, the more alarming that feeling of fullness felt, to the point he felt his stomach bulging beneath his bindings. The tentacles still wrapped around him loosened themselves as a result, as to not risk squishing their human incubator’s precious cargo. There must have been a couple dozen eggs laid inside him, until the creature had reached the point where it couldn’t possibly fit anymore and retracted itself, the tip of the tentacle still remaining inside as a sort of cork. 

Now that the creature had satisfied its primary purpose, the hole above Sanji’s head closed shut, and he was once again in darkness as the creature descended below the water’s surface. Though it still swam rather quickly, it was moving much more smoothly, as to not jostle around its prey. Sanji laid loosely against the creature’s belly, soothed by the tentacles petting his hair and stroking his face. He was oddly touched by the fact this monster was comforting him-- even if he was just another victim to its whims, another orifice to breed, it was somewhat human in its own peculiar way.

All too soon, the creature docked itself onto shore, tentacles slipping away back to their fleshy abode. The walls of its stomach contracted, and Sanji’s limp body was spat out into the shallow waters head first, bit by bit. His eyes winced at the bright sunlight hitting them, body shivering once waves of cold water started smacking him. Truth be told, he wasn’t entirely ready for this to end, to be forced back into the real world. A still dazed mind walked the thin line between the bizarre world he was leaving, and the one he was being shoved back into-- he was firmly yanked down into this reality, by an all too familiar sound.

* * *

“Back _off,_ you damn slug!” Zoro’s booming voice rang out, followed by pounding footsteps against the sand. Sanji craned his head back towards him, watching through blurred vision as he maneuvered two swords in his hands. A flying slash was sent the creature’s way, blood pouring from a wound on its head and splattering onto Sanji’s torso. It reared its head in pain, forcibly spitting out its prey’s limp body onto the shore.

Now that the risk of unwanted injury had been averted, Zoro pursued the beast, sending several more slashes its way. It was sent reeling with a whimper, blood spewing out into the ocean’s waters as its body writhed in agony. With one final hit, its deflated body floated stiffly on the sea’s surface, bobbing in time with the waves. His enemy now defeated, Zoro paid it no further heed, sheathing his swords and bolting to check on his equally lifeless looking crewmate.

“Oi, cook! Get up,” he implored, jostling Sanji’s body, trying to get a response out of him. Nothing. Fearing the worst, he checked the man’s pulse-- thankfully he was alive, but still unresponsive… not good. “Get _up,_ damn it...” 

Much to Zoro’s relief, Sanji’s eyes fluttered open, staring up at him vacantly. “S-shut up… I’m _fine,_ marimo…” he murmured, voice hazy and barely coherent. Despite his words, he barely had enough strength to keep his eyes open, and flopped back over into the sand. The swordsman simply rolled his eyes, scooping up the cook’s lax body into his arms.

“W-what are you doing?” Sanji protested, though rather weakly. 

“Taking you to the ship,” Zoro replied. “You’re obviously _not_ fine, you can’t even move.”

“Stupid, stubborn plantbrain… I told you, I’m _fine--_ ” His voice was cut off by a stifled whimper, face suddenly turning pale and a hand clasped over his mouth. His body froze stiffly in Zoro’s arms, legs trembling nonstop. Of course, how could he have forgotten about _them?_

“Oi, oi! The hell’s up with you, cook?!” Zoro hollered, his words harsh but his voice reflecting genuine concern.

“N-none of your fucking business, you damn marimo--oh _fuck..._ ” Sanji’s angered growls turned into pained sounding whines, obviously being quite troubled by _something._ What exactly that something was though, Zoro couldn’t find out unless Sanji told him.

“It _is_ my business,” Zoro insisted, “cause obviously that weird ass slug did something to you and I’m trying to fucking _help_.”

“I just _said,_ I don’t need your damn--” An agonized screech escaped his throat, tears of embarrassment pricking in his eyes. Against his own words, he found himself clutching onto the swordsman’s shirt with need-- proof that his stubbornness was merely an attempt to protect his fragile pride. Zoro knew him all too well, really.

“For fuck’s sake, cook, put your stupid ego aside and tell me what’s wrong.”

Sanji hesitated, before blurting out just one word. “E-Eggs...”

“Eggs...?” Zoro repeated, with a thoroughly befuddled expression.

“That… monster thing, it put these eggs inside me, and now they’re--” his sentence was cut off by another distressed groan. “I think they’re… starting to hatch, or something...” he cupped a hand over his mouth, immediately regretting having said so much.

Zoro’s face reflected an array of emotions: shock, horror, disgust, and overall disbelief. Of course, the first obvious question on his mind was _how_ the creature got the eggs inside him-- 

He opted not to dwell on that thought. The much more important issue was how they were going to get them out _._ Truth be told, he wasn’t exactly sure how to handle this whole... _situation_ , but knew that Sanji was struggling through it far more than he was. He tried not to focus too much on the details, letting his mind and body be guided by instinct alone. Placing Sanji down on the sand, he shifted behind him, supporting his arms and positioning his legs apart.

“Oi! The hell are you doing?!” Sanji barked in protest.

“Helping,” Zoro replied bluntly. “We gotta get those… _things_ out of you.”

“How many times do I have to tell you, I don’t--” his resistance ebbed away entirely with another pained sob, hands immediately clenching themselves into the fabric of Zoro’s pants.

“You can be as pissed off as you want after this is over with,” Zoro assured him. “Right now, you need to _calm down._ ”

In between broken wails, Sanji gave him a shallow nod.

“Okay…” he agreed, rather reluctantly. “What should I do?”

“Actually _breathing_ would be a good start,” Zoro quipped. “Here, breathe with me.”

Sanji groaned in frustration, but soon complied, following Zoro’s lead and taking in a deep breath. He was a bit off rhythm with the swordsman at first, but soon enough their breaths were perfectly in sync with one another. Surprisingly, Sanji found it was working; he felt a feeling of calm wash over him with each breath. He barely even noticed that squirming feeling plaguing him, until he felt his stomach suddenly hitch.

“I-it’s coming out,” he mouthed breathlessly, heels digging into the sand. He was already starting to lose his sense of calm, body lunging forward in Zoro’s grasp. “It’s coming _oooout…._ ”

“Fuck’s sake, cook, calm down!” Zoro protested, yanking him back down. “It’s only going to be worse if you don’t stay calm.”

“I’m _trying,_ you stupid fucking-- Hgh, fuck!” a shocking screech erupted from his throat, followed by a loud squishing sound. A thick, slug-like creature wriggled out from inside him, flopping onto the sand and worming its way towards the ocean waters. Neither one of them could take their eyes off the bizarre sight, partly out of shock, partly out of curiosity.

“...Holy shit,” Zoro muttered. “Is that it?”

“N-no,” Sanji whimpered. “There’s more, _way_ more--” his words trailed off into another squeal, legs trembling in the sand. Another one of the monster’s spawn popped its head out, sliding out to the tip of its tail and slithering away, followed by yet another. Zoro sighed in frustration at the rather slow pace of the little bastards. At this rate, this was gonna take fucking _forever._ As his eyes fixated on a wriggling mass, bulging out from Sanji’s stomach, he got an impulsive idea. Taking a hand from the cook’s chest, he put the palm of it down firmly on his abdomen, then pressed down.

Sanji made a drawn out squealing noise, toes curling as several of the little hellspawn poured out all at once. Zoro was taken aback at just how _many_ there were, forming a mass of squirming blue on the sand that only grew bigger and bigger… It was honestly a bit grotesque. Then, there was the way the cook was trembling underneath him, face flushed and hands lifted to dig into his hair… Zoro tried his damndest not to keep thinking about _that_ , keeping his eyes on the macabre sight in front of him _._

Eventually, Sanji’s body stopped shaking, going limp in Zoro’s arms. One more slug popped out from inside him, followed by the jellified remains of the eggs leaking out. Zoro’s gaze focused on that odd little creature in particular, watching with a bizarre fascination as it slipped away into the sea with the rest, one by one.

“Fuck, that was…” he trailed off, trying to think of the words. “Weird.”

“Y-yeah,” Sanji agreed, still in a daze. As he gradually came to, and the full reality of what had just happened began to fully settle in... he started to feel sick to his stomach. “Oh god… oh my god…”

“Something wrong?” Zoro questioned.

“I… I just… I can’t believe that… I just… _slugs--_ ” his stomach continued to turn, making him lose his train of thought. Soon enough, he was actually on the verge of vomiting. He jumped out from Zoro’s arms, collapsing onto his hands and knees as he heaved. A familiar sweet tasting liquid came spewing from his throat, mixing with bitter stomach bile, coating his tongue and his teeth in a sickly feeling each time he gagged and gurgled it out. Unsure of what else to do, Zoro just stayed in place and let him do what he needed to do. The last of the sickly fluid came dribbling out of his mouth, and he groaned in disgust, sitting himself upward.

“Hey… look on the bright side,” Zoro remarked, trying to lighten the mood. “You said you always wanted to be a father.”

Sanji stated in place, as if barely processing his words… then eventually turned to face him, eyes aglow with frustration. “Marimo…” he growled, crawling his way towards him. “Marimo, _marimo,_ you stupid fucking _mosshead…_ ” taking the swordsman off guard, he cupped two hands around his face, giving him a rather hungry look. Zoro looked right back at him, pupils blown wide open.

“Uh… Yeah, what’s up?” the marimo in question muttered, unsure if Sanji wanted to kill him or devour him. At the very least, the cook was back to his normal self… 

“We’re fucking,” Sanji demanded, pulling the swordsman closer to him. “ _That’s_ what’s up.” ...Okay, maybe he _wasn’t_ back to normal.

“Um…” Zoro muttered in reply, completely taken aback. “Don’t remember ever deciding that.”

Sanji bore a sour expression. “Look, I need… _something_ , so I can forget any of this ever happened,” he explained. “Besides…” He nudged one of his knees into Zoro’s crotch, making blood rush to the swordsman’s face. “You’re already pitching a tent, pervert plantbrain.”

Zoro’s words caught in his throat. He didn’t even notice how stiff he actually was until that bastard just _had_ to point it out. “Yeah, well…” he trailed off, trying to find the right words. _Were_ there the right words? “I…” The more he lingered on his sentence, the more his thoughts were filled with that vision of Sanji, blushed and shaking. “...Look, you’re a man too, you know what it’s like to get hard at the worst possible time.”

Sanji gave a wild grin at his answer, wrapping slender legs around the swordsman’s torso and trapping him in a vice grip. “Well... if you’re already hard,” he growled in a lust filled voice, “Then why don’t you make that big fucking _dick_ of yours useful?” 

“Uhh…” he really couldn’t respond to... that. Sure, he’d had a few flings with the cook before, but usually they were both drunk, or one of their little tussles got out of hand, or it was because of literally _anything_ other than some weird alien birth ritual. Besides, he was acting so desperate, depraved... Sure, there were times the cook thought with his dick instead of his brain, but not like _this._

Still... with the way Sanji was straddling him, bare skin pressed up to his clothed torso, along with those tantalizing images flashing in his head... it was getting hard for him to think rationally, either. 

“Fuck it,” he obliged, giving in to that inner temptation. “It’s been awhile.”

“Good boy,” Sanji cooed mockingly, bringing him into a kiss--

“Oi, oi!” Zoro protested. “Don’t kiss me after you just puked!”

“Oh, right. Sorry.”

* * *

Sanji wasted no time in relishing his prize-- he didn’t even bother to take them somewhere less open. He pushed Zoro down to the ground then and there, pinning him onto his back and straddling his waist. The swordsman demonstrated a rare sort of submission; he was more than content to let someone else take the lead (for now, at least), and so he stayed in place as Sanji lavished his body with attention. 

Sanji had an absolutely _filthy_ expression on his face, looking down at Zoro with sheer need and shallowly humping against his hips. He slid nimble fingers underneath the swordsman’s well worn haramaki, trailing fingertips across his abdomen and mapping each concave of muscle. Just feeling it wasn’t enough, though; he wanted to see him, every inch of him.

“Take this shit off,” Sanji demanded, tugging at the fabric around his stomach. Zoro obliged with a grunt, sliding both shirt and haramaki up and off his shoulders. The cook practically drooled at the sight of newly exposed skin, running his hands up to grope his chest eagerly. 

“Oh, _these_ are hard too,” he cooed, pinching a pert nipple.

“Shut up, shitty cook,” Zoro growled, entirely unenthused. 

“Make me, slutty swordsman,” Sanji taunted. 

“Slutty? Says the one who’s grinding all over me.”

“Says the one who’s so fucking _hard_ right now.” As if to emphasize his point, Sanji cupped a hand around Zoro’s crotch. “What even made you so hot and bothered anyway, huh?”

“ _You_ did, jackass.”

“How? Creepy alien birth isn’t exactly something most people consider erotic, y’know… Or are you just some sort of weird fetishist?”

“That’s rich, since you’re the one who let yourself get fucked by that thing in the first place.”

“Oh, is _that_ what you were thinking about?” Sanji remarked smugly. “Were you wishing you could watch me get fucked by some monster?”

Zoro’s face turned flush; a mixture of anger and embarrassment. “Shut up and fuck me or whatever. I’m tired of looking at your ugly mug.”

Sanji rolled his eyes, or rather his only visible one. “Oh please, if it weren’t for me having pity on you you’d never get laid.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, erocook. I could get anyone I want, unlike _someone_.”

“Oh? If that’s the case why do you keep crawling back to me?” 

“Cause you’re an easy fuck, that’s all.”

“Oh, shut up, you love me.”

Zoro’s brows furrowed, a bit more ticked off by that statement than he should be. “Tch... as if I or anyone else could ever love someone so obnoxious.”

“You _loooove_ me,” he murmured mockingly, sliding himself down the swordsman’s waist. “That big mouth of yours can say whatever it wants, but _this_ is all the proof I need.” He slid his fingers onto the waistband of his pants, pulling them down and making his shamefully hard cock spring forward. Sanji wrapped his slender fingers around it, feeling it twitch and pulse underneath his touch.

“See? You’re literally _throbbing_ in my hand,” he purred, stroking his shaft gently. An approving groan slipped from Zoro’s throat, a sign that he wasn’t going to bother arguing anymore.

“Whatever... you’re good with your hands, cook,” Zoro sighed, letting his head loosely hit the sand. “I’ll give you that much.” 

“I know, I’m _damn_ good,” he replied rather cockily. “Fuck, you’re really worked up, aren’t you? Look.” Zoro lifted up his eyes, watching Sanji roll his fingers around his tip and smear globs of precum over it. “You’re already about to burst.”

“Whatever,” Zoro responded dismissively. “Like I said, it’s been awhile.”

“Aww, has it? Were you saving yourself for me?”

“You fuckin’ wish.”

“I’m so _honored,_ marimo. Normally I’d keep jerking you off, but...” Propping himself up on his legs, he positioned himself to take the man’s cock inside him. “I don’t want you to blow your load until you’re inside me.”

“Oi, don’t you need lube?” Zoro questioned, out of concern.

“Ah, no,” Sanji assured him. “That damn slug slicked me up good, I can say that much...” With a ragged breath, he slid himself onto Zoro’s length, stomach jerking as he took it in inch by inch until his sac was squashed against the man’s pelvis. “ _Fuck._ ”

Zoro let out a satisfied sounding groan, face turned a deep red. He ran his hands up Sanji’s thighs, giving the thick muscle a firm squeeze before trailing up to grip his hips. 

“Need a minute?” he asked.

“N-no,” Sanji groaned, in between hitched breaths. He slid two hands up from Zoro’s chest, gripping onto his shoulders tightly and riding him, slowly but surely. Zoro let out a low groan, allowing Sanji to set the pace and laying back onto the sand. He felt overwhelmed by how tightly those slick walls were hugging his cock, squeezing around him, tempting him to blow his load already.

“Oh~?” Sanji cooed, faking coy. “You’re already about to cum, aren’t you?”

“As if,” Zoro grunted.

“I can feel you _twitching_ inside me,” he murmured, grinding his hips against his cock. “I’m a bit disappointed, marimo. Was hoping you could last longer.”

Furrowing his brows in frustration, Zoro gripped his fingertips into pale skin, tightly enough to bruise, and shallowly thrust his hips forward into him. Sanji let out a needy groan, an utterly euphoric expression plastered on his face. 

“Oh _fuck,_ marimo~” he moaned, in an overly salacious tone. “That’s it, harder, _harder,_ fuck me _good,_ you shitty swordsman…”

“Shut _up,”_ Zoro growled, lifting a hand to cup around Sanji’s mouth. “You’re so fucking annoying.”

Sanji only got louder in response, letting out overly exaggerated moans just to get on his nerves. Zoro rolled his eyes, moving his hand to his throat instead-- that was the only warning he gave Sanji before flipping him over onto the sand, gripping at his hip and pounding into him. Sanji’s breath caught in his throat, faux moans turning into genuine choked whimpers as the swordsman kept slamming into him.

“H-hah, _Zoro…”_ he whined pathetically, a pitiful expression on his face. Zoro gave him a wild grin; he knew Sanji only ever called him that when his stubborn ego had been truly broken. Moving his hand off the man’s hip, he jerked off his neglected cock in time with his thrusts.

“N-no, not there, don’t touch _there..._ ” Sanji keened, blood starting to drip from his nose-- a telltale sign he was already on the verge of climax. As soon as Zoro noticed it, he stopped his thrusts, taking in the sight of Sanji’s frustrated face.

“What was that you said about cumming too soon?” he jabbed.

“Bastard!” Sanji groaned in frustration. “I was so _close_...”

“I know _,_ ” Zoro asserted, a smarmy grin plastered on his face. “You’re being so damn _annoying_ , so now you don’t get to cum until _I_ say so.”

“God damn it, you stubborn fucking mosshead--” His words trailed off into a desperate moan once Zoro started thrusting into him again. “H-holy fuck, Zoro, Zoroooo…”

“Hard to take you seriously,” Zoro teased, “When you’re being such a fucking _whore_ for me right now.”

“S-shut up!” Sanji protested, baring his teeth. Whatever intimidating effect this would normally have was lost entirely, thanks to how flushed his face was.

“You usually never let me be on top,” he continued. “Do you just not want me to see how much of a fucking _slut_ you are?”

“I-if you keep calling me that, I’ll fucking _kill_ you,” Sanji growled. “I swear to god, I’ll-- oh _fuuuck,_ Zoro, right there~” His body went limp once Zoro hit a bundle of nerves that made his vision go blank, whatever barking and snipping he still had in him turning into needy groans and whimpers.

“God, you’re fucking predictable,” Zoro sighed. More blood started to ebb from Sanji’s nose, running down his face and smearing against his upper lip.

“God, stop being stubborn and let me _cum…”_ he whined, reaching his hands down to touch his cock. Zoro gripped around his length even tighter in retaliation, making him squeal.

“Nope, get your fucking hands away,” Zoro growled. “You’re acting like a snot-nosed brat… or should I say, nosebleeding brat.”

“You _fucker…_ ” Sanji raised his hands to his face, trying to hide his embarrassment. His moans were now muffled, but grew more intense as Zoro pounded into him. Tears started to prick in the corners of his eyes from sheer overstimulation, once again on the verge of climax only to be denied it again. He let out a drawn out whimper, barely sounding human and more closely resembling an animal in heat. Then Zoro snapped his hips forward again, slamming into him relentlessly and making him shriek out in sheer bliss. 

He pried his hands off his mouth, instead gripping onto Zoro’s waist, desperate to anchor himself. “Oh fuck, Zoro, _Zoro,_ you’re gonna break me, you’re--” A hand clasped over his face, though it wasn’t his own.

“Keep your voice down,” Zoro ordered. “You’re gonna make the others hear.”

Sanji gave him a shallow nod, and Zoro lifted his now blood smeared hand away, placing it back on his neck. Sanji’s eyes rolled back into his skull once he squeezed his hand around his throat, murmuring the swordsman’s name over and over again through choked breaths. 

If he wanted Zoro to “make him forget” about his encounter with that weird monster, the swordsman had more than done so. He couldn’t think of anything else but Zoro, couldn’t even remember what those odd tentacles felt like compared to the cock inside him. Through blurred eyes, he took in the sight of this stupid marimo, _his_ marimo, and he gripped his fingers through that mossy hair of his just to feel him. Zoro leaned himself even closer, now meeting eye to eye with him, in an oddly romantic gesture… Why exactly did meeting his eyes make his heart race so much?

“Hah, Zoro… I… I love…” Sanji stuttered, barely able to form the words.

“Eh...?” Zoro questioned, heart skipping a beat. Was Sanji saying what he thought he was saying…?

“I love your cock, Zoro~” he moaned mockingly, smirking with the knowledge that he’d gotten under Zoro’s stubbornly thick skin.

The swordsman gave him a frustrated growl, stopping in his tracks and grabbing him by the wrists. Sanji’s eyes filled with anxiety, wondering what the other man was going to do to him… only to be pulled into a kiss, with Zoro groaning into his mouth. He could still vaguely taste the bile on Sanji’s tongue, and feel sticky blood coating underneath his nose, but he didn’t care. Damn it, he’d wanted to teach the fucker a lesson, but just _couldn’t_ . At that moment, he just wanted Sanji. He’d _always_ wanted Sanji… 

Zoro shook himself, trying to stop that inner monologue of his. Right before he pulled away from the kiss entirely, he was sure to give Sanji a firm bite on the bottom lip.

“Ow!” he yelped. “The fuck was that for?!”

“Being a smartass,” Zoro muttered dully, snapping his hips forward and pounding into the other man again. Those sudden shrill whines Sanji made were music to his ears, partly because he wanted to get back at him, partly because he sounded so fucking _cute_ . Sanji stared up at Zoro breathlessly, unable to take his eyes off him, unable to keep his name off his tongue. He could feel himself ebbing and flowing on the verge of orgasm, close but never quite there, wanting the other man to bring him over the edge already and completely _ruin_ him.

“F-fuck,” Zoro growled, clenching his jaw. “I’m close.”

“Me too…” Sanji whimpered, looking up at him with desperation. Zoro let go of one of his wrists, wrapping his hand around his cock and making his toes curl.

“Cum for me,” Zoro ordered, jerking him off roughly. Sanji keened, cupping a hand over his mouth to muffle his own moans. Soon enough he was tipped over the edge, crying out in a desperate wail as he came. Ropes of thick cum splattered onto both their chests, warm and sticky on bare skin. Zoro’s breath hitched as he felt those walls convulsing around his cock, letting out a growl through clenched teeth once he was close to his own climax. 

“Fuck, _Sanji…_ ” Zoro groaned through clenched teeth, his body stilling himself once he reached his own climax. Sanji let out a low sigh, body going comfortably limp, feeling himself be filled with the other man’s seed. Finally satisfied, Zoro pulled out from inside him, flopping over onto the sand. The two turned to face one another, panting in exhaustion, staring wordlessly into each other’s eyes.

“So,” Zoro muttered, “am I at _least_ a better fuck than some weird slug thing?”

“Yeah, you’re alright,” Sanji replied with a lopsided grin.

“Just _alright?_ ” he repeated dumbfoundedly. “Oh, that’s _it_. Next time some alien uses your ass as an incubator, you’re on your own.”

“Don’t worry, that was just a one night stand,” Sanji chuckled. “Don’t plan on doing it again.”

“Eh, that’s good. We probably _should_ plan to head back to the Merry, though.”

“Oh, right.” Sanji lifted himself up from the ground, brushing the sand off his back-- but as he saw Zoro gathering his clothes, he remembered a rather stark oversight.

“Ugh, fuck,” he groaned in frustration. “I left my clothes on the ship…”

“Then go get them,” Zoro shrugged, pulling his shirt over his head.

“I _can’t,_ ” he sighed. “Nami-san is still there, last time I checked.”

“Then I’ll carry you there,” Zoro explained, putting on his haramaki. “If Nami says anything, I’ll say some monster ate your clothes off and I saved you.”

“Marimo.”

“What? That’s what happened, isn’t it?”

“I’m _not_ going to let Nami-san see me naked! God, how dense _are_ you, mossbrain?”

“Just pretend to be unconscious or something, she’s not gonna hold it against ya.”

“ _Zoro._ ”

The swordsman rolled his eyes, realizing Sanji wasn’t going to back down. “Ugh, _fine,_ ” he sighed in exacerbation, picking his swords up off the ground. “I’ll go get them for you, ya snotty brat.”

“ _Thank_ you, marimo. Maybe you’re not as plantbrained as i thought.”

“Oh, speaking of snot… You might wanna wash your face off, erocook. You’ve still got your perv crud all over it.” On that note, Zoro walked away.

“Oh, fuck off!” Sanji hollered, flipping him off behind his back. “...Oi, moss for brains. Where are you going?”

Zoro whipped around to face him. “To the ship, dumbass,” he grunted.

“The ship is _that_ way!” Sanji groaned, pointing towards the entirely opposite direction.

“It is…?” he turned himself around, eyes spotting the vessel docked at the very end of the beach. “Oh, it _is._ ”

“God, at this rate I’m surprised _you_ didn’t get eaten by some monster already.”

“That’s cause I’m not as clumsy as you are.”

“Whatever, just _go_ already! And try not to get lost on the way back, idiot marimo!”

“Fine, fine, I’m _going._ ” Sanji watched silently as the swordsman walked away, making sure he wasn’t veering off track. Seeing that he’d actually managed to walk in a straight line, Sanji smiled, turning back contentedly towards the rather scenic shore. On strange lands like these, the sight of the ocean waves was always a calmingly familiar sight… they looked especially breathtaking combined with the sun beginning to set in the distance, swathing the water’s surface with beams of gentle light.

Which reminded him, he probably _should_ wash the “perv crud” off his face.

* * *

“Wow, you actually managed to find your way back here.”

“Wasn’t hard, it’s hard to forget an ugly mug like yours. Here, take these.”

Sanji sighed, taking the pile of clothing from the swordsman. He sorted through it, making sure everything was where it was supposed to be before getting himself dressed.

“Wonder where everyone is,” Zoro noted dully. “They’ve been gone for awhile.”

“They’ll be _fine_ ,” Sanji assured him. “That is, unless they all got eaten by slugs too.”

“Ew, don’t even joke like that!” 

“What? It’s possible.”

“Doesn’t mean you have to say it-- holy shit, you get dressed fast.”

“Yeah, I know.” 

Getting himself off the ground, he brushed off the few bits of sand clinging to his clothes, then turned to face Zoro.

“Hey… I just wanted to say thanks,” he stated, rather awkwardly. “For, y’know… all of that.”

“Yeah, don’t mention it,” Zoro grunted back.

“Seriously,” he continued, giving the swordsman a coy smile. “If you keep being all chivalrous, I might just fall for you.”

Zoro gave him a frustrated look in response. “Quit saying that shit.”

“Aw, do you really have _that_ much of a crush on me?”

“The fuck are you talking about?”

“Uh, it’s not _nearly_ as oblivious as you think,” Sanji remarked. “It’s practically written all over your stupid face.”

“Oh, get over yourself,” Zoro grimaced, rolling his eyes.

“You said it yourself, marimo,” he retorted, “that you could have anyone you want. So why do you keep coming back to me?”

“I already said, cause you’re an easy fuck.”

“Then why were you so eager to come to my rescue earlier?”

“Just happened to be at the right place, at the right time.”

“And why did you get so flustered by that little fakeout I pulled on you?”

Zoro’s eyes turned fierce, clearly _not_ wanting the cook to go there. “Why’s any of this matter to you anyway?” he grumbled. “You’re just doing all this to fuck with me.”

Sanji’s exhaustion with the situation was written on his face. “God, you really _are_ dense.”

“The fuck’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m trying to tell you I feel the same way, dumbass!” Sanji exclaimed in frustration. “God, I’m not _that_ much of a dick! Give me at least _some_ credit.”

Zoro’s expression went completely blank. “...You do?”

“Thought I’d made it pretty obvious,” he muttered, “but I guess you’re more daft than I thought.” 

“At least I’m not stupid enough to wear my eyebrows like that,” Zoro retorted.

“At least _I’m_ not stupid enough to dye my hair such a garish color.”

“Shitty erocook.”

“Bushido bastard.” 

He approached the swordsman, catching him a bit off guard... then wrapped his arms around Zoro’s waist, pulling him into a gentle kiss. Zoro’s eyes were blown open, completely speechless at the sudden romantic gesture, only to flutter close and lean further into it. His arms flew to grab at Sanji’s hips, pulling him even closer, trying to make this moment last even longer. Both were rather hesitant to break the kiss, but it soon fizzled out naturally, and they finally broke free from one another’s embrace.

“So…” Zoro muttered, “Does this mean that we’re… together now?”

“Uh, yeah,” Sanji stated bluntly. “That’s usually what happens after two people tell each other their feelings.”

“Figured… just wanted to make sure, I guess.”

“I take it you’re not very experienced with romance.”

“Never had a reason to be… until now, I guess.”

Sanji gave him a warm smile. Just as he was about to pull the swordsman into another kiss, the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps caught them both off guard.

“ZORO! SANJI!” A rather familiar voice came booming from the distance, followed by Luffy jumping out from the forest and landing in front of them. 

“Where have you guys been?!” he exclaimed. “I was looking all over for you!”

Sanji racked his mind, trying to think of a quick cover up. “Marimo here was trying to help me forage,” he explained, “but he just ended up scaring away all the animals.”

Zoro’s brows furrowed in frustration. Even in a made up story to save face, the shitty cook _still_ had to throw him under the bus… 

“Not true!” Zoro exclaimed. “You’re the one who scared them away with your stupid eyebrows!”

“As if!” Sanji retorted. ”One look at your stupid face would make any living creature sick!”

“Then how come you barely caught anything, shitty cook?”

“I caught _way_ more than you did, bastard mosshead!”

“Wait, what’s _that_ thing?!” Luffy shouted, running over to the shore. Zoro and Sanji stopped their mock bickering, craning their heads to see what the big deal was.

“Woah! It's one of those weird slugs!” he exclaimed, poking the creature’s dead body. Sanji noticed familiar slashes on its head; somehow, the monster Zoro killed had washed up on shore. 

“Not _again!_ ” a high pitched voice yelled from behind the dense trees, one that could only belong to Chopper. “Stop trying to fight them, they’re dangerous!”

“Don’t worry, this one’s already dead!” Luffy explained, patting a hand on the monster’s corpse. 

“ _What?!_ ” Chopper exclaimed. “You already killed one?! I told you--”

“Oi, it’s okay,” Zoro interrupted. “I’m the one who killed it.”

“It didn’t try to eat you or anything, did it?!”

“As if I’d let myself get eaten by some stupid slug,” he responded cockily. Somehow, he could already feel Sanji staring daggers through him.

“Oi, speaking of eating... Can we still eat this thing?” Luffy piped up. “It’s not poisonous or anything, is it?”

“Well…” Chopper pondered that thought. “They’re a parasitic species, but they’re not poisonous… I think it should be fine.”

Luffy’s face turned into the widest grin he could manage. “MEAT!” he shouted excitedly, bolting over to Sanji and yanking him by the arms. “Sanji, I’m hungry, meat, _meaaaat…_ ”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming,” Sanji sighed, letting himself be dragged along. Truth be told, after his whole “experience” with that beast, the thought of eating it made him feel a bit weird… but on an island with such slim pickings, he supposed he had to take what he could get. Besides, it was getting late, and he just wanted to be back on the ship already. They _all_ did, really.

* * *

Once the crew was all safely aboard the Merry, it was best for them to sail off. According to Chopper, the island was infested with a species of sea cucumbers in the midst of their mating season. Nami was particularly antsy to get off the island, since apparently a gaggle of them had tried to pry her off the deck. Fortunately, the log pose had already set.

After a night of relatively smooth sailing (aside from Usopp being sick from poisonous berries the whole time), most of the crew had gone to rest… except for Zoro, who was tasked with keeping watch over the ship. Katanas in tow, he climbed his way up to the crow’s nest-- only to see Sanji already there, a blanket wrapped snugly around him.

“Oi, what’s up with you?” Zoro pried.

“Nice to see you too, mossball,” Sanji grumbled. “I wanted to spend time with you, you dense bastard.”

“Oh…?” Zoro found himself oddly touched by the gesture, giving Sanji a quick nod and sitting himself next to him. Sanji wrapped the blanket around both of them, nestling his head onto the swordsman’s shoulder.

“You’re awfully affectionate,” Zoro noted.

“I mean, we _are_ together now,” Sanji replied. “I would hope so.”

“Yeah, I get that… Just not used to it yet.”

“You’ll get used to it, stupid marimo,” Sanji murmured, nuzzling his cheek further into Zoro’s shoulder. 

“Still can’t believe we even kissed,” Zoro commented. “We’ve never kissed besides sex or whatever.”

“Mm, yeah? It’s not that big of a deal, you prude.”

“I’m not _saying_ it’s a big deal, dumbass,” he grunted. “I… Always wanted to do that.”

“Do what, exactly?”

“Kiss you, without us just being drunk or horny or whatever.”

Sanji gazed up at him, a warm glow to his eyes. “If you want to kiss me so badly, why don’t you do it again?”

Zoro answered not with words, but with a hand lifted up to Sanji’s cheek. Sanji leaned towards him, Zoro eagerly meeting his lips again. Sanji was far more possessive of him than before, gripping the nape of his neck, tongue lapping at his lips in a desperation to taste him. A tongue dove into his own mouth, Sanji sucking needily on it, reeling at the feeling of Zoro’s touch. A quick bite onto Zoro’s bottom lip, and Sanji pulled away from the kiss.

“Ouch,” Zoro grunted.

“That was for earlier,” Sanji remarked with a smirk on his face.

“Fair’s fair, I guess.”

Satisfied, Sanji nuzzled his face back into the crook of Zoro’s neck. “Hey, marimo,” he called. Zoro turned back at him. 

“What’s up?”

“I love you,” he murmured, planting a gentle kiss onto Zoro’s neck. “Don’t think I got to actually say that either.”

“Me neither,” Zoro agreed. “I love you too.”

Sanji let out a gentle sigh. “Y’know… since everyone’s asleep,” he said with a lilt, “we could have some more fun together~”

Zoro merely rolled his eyes. “Get some sleep, ya damn perv,” he ordered, wrapping an arm around Sanji and pulling him closer.

“Ugh, _fine,”_ Sanji surrendered. “Goodnight, stupid marimo.”

“Night, shitty erocook.” He leaned his back against the railing of the crow’s nest, feeling Sanji shift around into a comfortable position. His body stilled itself, eyelids growing heavy and breaths evening out. Before Zoro knew it, the cook was fast asleep on his shoulder. Gripping his arm around him even tighter, he found himself staring up at the vast night sky, feeling the ship rocking gently against the waves.

Times like these had to be savored, and he was grateful to have someone to savor them with.


End file.
